article

Food festivals and politics in Wogeo

Oceania40 • Published In 1969 • Pages: 304-328

By: Hogbin, Herbert Ian.

Abstract
This is a description and discussion of a food festival. The objective is for a headman to humiliate his rival with a shower of gifts which the latter would be unable to repay. The first hurdle is to get the rival headman in the same room so that the challenge can be made with a rolling coconut. Several schemes are reported. The author proceeds to describe how gifts are accumulated and presented, then the following feast and the redistribution of food. Finally there is the counter gift. Overall, this reads like a parable of how Cold War nuclear powers might avert an unthinkable escalation to warfare.
Subjects
Drives and emotions
Adjustment processes
Music
Dance
Status, role, and prestige
Manipulative mobility
Visiting and hospitality
Community structure
Community heads
Inter-community relations
Organized ceremonial
culture
Wogeo
HRAF PubDate
2014
Region
Oceania
Sub Region
Melanesia
Document Type
article
Evaluation
Creator Type
Ethnologist
Document Rating
5: Excellent Primary Data
Analyst
Ian Skoggard; 2012
Field Date
1934
Coverage Date
1932-1934
Coverage Place
Vokeo Island, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea
Notes
By Ian Hogbin
Includes bibliographical references
LCCN
38017490
LCSH
Vokeo Island (Papua New Guinea)